Maybe Things Won't Be So Bad
by LetGo-LetOpenDoorsOfPurgatory
Summary: Dean, Sam, and Castiel are all home at the Batcave when Sam finds an old film projector. While Sam and Dean speak on films Dean's located Castiel then proceeds to do his own thing.


**AN: I feel that this is slightly OOC and not as good as it could be, but enjoy! This is based from one of the promo photos for episode 22 of season 8, Clip Show.**

Sam's fingers fumbled as he tried to set up the old film projector. Years of collective dust coated the device in a thick layer of soft brown. The Winchester scowled as he brushed the substance off the best he could with his hands and fingers, blowing now and again to force the rest of the dust off of the projector.

With Dean watching his every move Sam knew he couldn't exactly try to work out in the field. He's tried once or twice after Charlie had come to visit and Dean had become a force to fear. Dean wouldn't take Sam's '_I'm alright_' or _'I'm fine. I can hunt_.' for anything. Rightfully so. This was one of the only things Sam could truly busy himself with as of late. Even then he was just a bit surprised when Dean didn't show up fussing up a storm to the high heavens for Sam to rest instead of doing so much. Though, Sam's felt a bit better than he has been lately. He continued to tinker with the projector. The thing, devoid of dust and dirt now, seemed to be broken. That or it was quite likely Sam sucked at using things like this.

He could feel the presence of someone else in the large library that belonged to the Men of Letters bunker. It was either Dean or Castiel; no one else had access to the bunker and Charlie certainly hadn't warned Sam that she was going to be stopping by. Castiel had recently re-joined ranks with Sam and Dean, much to the boys pleasure and surprise. Sam shifted his body in the seat slightly to turn around and find a familiar trench-coated angel standing before him. The pale man gave a small smile to Castiel.

"Hey, Cas." Sam greeted. Castiel nodded but stared past Sam to the projector that he had been tinkering with and trying to fix. The angel looked confused as to what device Sam had before him. Sam knew that look from anywhere. And he knew what was about to come out of Castiel's mouth.

"Sam, what is that?" He asks.

Sam pauses for a moment almost as if he's in thought. Sam didn't even question it. He only turned around and gestured to the object. "It's a film projector." Sam answered, glancing over to Castiel as the angel stepped up curiously. He watched as the sapphire eyes examined the projector with enamored curiosity. Sam could only give a somewhat amused expression at Castiel's extreme interest in the thing.

"And what is its purpose exactly?"

"It's meant to project film onto a flat surface." Sam replied. "It plays movies." Castiel blinked for a moment. Before he could speak again he and Sam turned around at the sound of Dean's voice.

"Sammy!" The rough voice beckoned. Sam looked like a child who was about to be scolded, expecting the usual '_You should be resting_' or some other festival of fussing. Once again Sam was surprised to see Dean had entered with a file box. Setting it down onto the table and removing the top he beckoned to Castiel and Sam. The two men walked over to Dean without question and peered at the box. Dean's hand dipped in and then brought out a circular case. One that obviously held film. Sam's eyes widened in awe.

"Is that —"

"Yes." Dean replied without missing a beat, passing it over to Sam. Castiel remained on the sidelines, watching the brothers with interest.

"Dude this is great! It's labeled Latin. Something about demons. Let's check out the others; I bet you if we watched some of these we'd have more clues about what to do." Sam insisted to his brother who seemed to agree with the idea. The Winchesters animatedly filed through the lost film as Castiel disappeared. Sam figured Castiel was just going to wander through the bunker just as Dean had suspected. Ever since Castiel had arrived he had taken on a child-like demeanor of curiosity and question that the boys had allowed the angel to quell himself; knowing he wasn't one to be reigned in easily. Dean and Sam didn't push limits since Castiel had returned. When they had found him he was bloody and beaten in the middle of a road in the middle god knows where. It had been from there they had taken him to the Batcave and helped him get patched up.

It was only when Sam was fitting the film into the projector he had got worried. It had been almost an hour and a half. No one just wandered around curiously for that long, especially since Castiel had been given many hours before then to examine the place and learn the basics of the bunker by Dean's aid.

"Hey…where's Cas?" Sam questioned, eyebrow raising as Dean looked over from the wooden seat he sat in. The elder brother sat down his beer, his expression changing from normal to concerned.

"So help me if those feathery sonovabitche—" Dean cut himself off as Castiel stood on the other side of the table. Sam had been so busy staring at his brother for his outburst of a reaction that he hadn't noticed why Dean had went silent much less Castiel beside him. It wasn't but a moment later Sam jumped at the figure beside him. His expression read distaste and irritation with the sudden appearance but Sam didn't say anything. As he jolted a familiar smell hit his nose. One he remembered from movie nights at Bobby's with Dean that usually ended up in arguments about what movie was best or what was the best snack food to eat while enjoying one: buttered popcorn; jiffy pop to be exact.

Upon further examination both of the boys were surprised to see that in Castiel's right hand he held a silver colored handle to a stove-top cooked jiffy-pop. Both Winchesters blinked at the angel. Castiel turned to Sam and offered the puffed up silver pan to him, a smile on his face. Sam only gave him an extremely perplexed look.

"Uh, Cas…what's that?" Sam asked.

"Popcorn." Castiel answered.

"..No, I know that. I mean…why do you have that?" Sam clarified looking down at Castiel, trying to understand what had triggered this. Of course Sam's mind had went to the worst – perhaps, after all, Castiel was still crazy. Dean leaned onto the large table, folding his arms over one another as he stared at Castiel with the same expectant expression Sam had. Castiel looked a bit crest-fallen as he glanced between the boys.

"I thought it was customary for popcorn to be made and eaten when movies were being watched." Castiel responded. It registered for both Winchesters instantly. Castiel had been trying to perform a simple human task. The most enthralling part for Sam was the fact Castiel had been on the right track. Given he hadn't exactly realized popcorn wasn't needed for films that would be helping them close the Gates of Hell forever, but it was still a nice gesture. One that Dean could only give the same bemused smile that Sam was giving. Dean took the reigns then.

"No, you're right Cas." Dean answered as he popped open his beer and leaned back in his seat, propping his legs up onto the table lazily. Castiel gave a slight smile in return to Dean and looked to Sam who nodded in agreement.

"Just, heads up for next time?" He paused as Castiel gave him an expression that meant he was listening. "…Make sure it's a movie we're watching and not some Men of Letters documentary." Castiel's instant reaction was one of embarrassment but Sam and Dean responded with laughter as the angel took a seat in a chair in front of Dean. As he shook his head Sam secured the film in the projector. While Sam set it up Dean leaned over the table and swiped a small handful of popcorn and tossed one of the popped kernels up in the air,trying to catch it in his mouth. Much to his disappointment he missed. Dean made a frustrated expression and tried again. Castiel examined the action, unsure of what the Winchester was doing. Before questions could be asked Sam threw both his hands up as the light projected from the device and onto the wall on the other side of the room. Sam then took a seat beside Castiel and swiped some of the popcorn, popping four pieces into his mouth at once and chewing. There was a silence as the projector rattled to life. Before a picture began to form on wall Castiel finally reached into the pile of popcorn and popped a few of the pieces in his mouth, chewing the food up.

It was like home. Sure the home was slightly broken and sure it had went to Hell and back together but…it was still home. A place the Winchesters never had growing up. A four letter word that actually meant the world to them right now. While the three sat there chewing on the popcorn, the film starting it seemed nothing could go wrong. Almost as if nothing could touch them. It was in that moment that it seemed all three of the men realized something. Something that they hardly ever got to say…

Maybe things wouldn't be _so_ bad after all.


End file.
